Beaumont b



(No Modem Arron/vn v ,a w1 l B. B. BUCK. SHIELD.

Patented Dec. 31, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.-

BEAUMONT B. BUCK, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

SHIELD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,396, dated December 31, 1889.

Application filed August 19, 1889. Serial No. 321,186. (No model.)

To all whomit may concern,.-

Be it known that I, BEAUMONT B. BUCK, of the United States Army, stationed at Fort Douglas, Utah Territory, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shields, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a new and improved bullet-proof shield, which will behereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a front view of myimproved shield. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a rear view showing the shield made in sections, and Fig. 4 is a vertical section thereof. Fig. 5 is a cross-section.

The saine numerals of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

Referring to the several parts by their designating numerals, my invention consists more particularly in a bullet-proof shield, made of steel or aluminum bronze, or of any other suitable hard resisting material, to protect the abdomen, stomach, chest, lower part of the neck, dac., of the wearer. This shield may be made in two or any number of parts or sections and shaped to fit the body, as hereinafter set forth, or when the shield is made to protect only the chest and stomach it may, when desired, be madeV in a single piece adapted to fit the body.

Myinvention further consists in the devices for distributing the force of the blow of the impinging bullet over a large part of the body.

In Fig. l I have shown the shield constructed in a single piece, shaped curved. to iit the body, and held at a distance of onehalf 'to one and one-half inch from the body by means of a stout cover or ca se 2, of canvas or othersuitable material, inside of which the metal shield 1 t-s. The cover 2 fits snugly around the convex outer surface of the shield and stretches taut or nearly taut across the in Fig. 5, thus providing means of distributing the blow of an impinging bullet over the body in the same manner as if the flexible cover 2 were used. The dat side 2 ot the cover rests against the body.(the chest and stomach) of the wearer, the shield being strapped to the body and suspended from the shoulders by suitable straps.

The operation of the shield is as follows: When the shield is struck by a bullet, the metal plate is putin motion toward the body, the sides and ends of the metal shield press the fiat side 2 of thecanvas cover against the body of the wearer, thus acting as a cushion to the body and distributing the force of the blow over a large part of the chest, stornach, and sides.

Padding or flexible material 3 may be placed between t-he concave side of the metal shield l and the flat side 2 of the cover 2 in all the different forms of my shield, to actas an auxiliary means of ldistributing the force of the blow of a bullet over the body.

The shield l can be made in two, three, or any number of sections la, the sections running parallel, or nearly so, and transversely across the shield, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The chief object of forming the kmetal shield in sections is to give it flexibility, thereby accommodating the movements of the body.

The sections maybe secured to one another by means of adjustable straps i 5, riveted at their ends to the inner side of the sections, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the upper edge of the lower sections overlapping the lower edge of the upper sections.

With the above construction, the force of impact of a bullet on any section of the shield will be distributed by the cover 2 or by the canvas stretched across the concave side of the shield over the body, as before described.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the curved bulletconcave on its inner side, and the flexible cover 2, extending in a straight plane over the packing 3, of exible material, placed bethe concave face of the shield, substantially tween the concave face of the shield and the as set forth. flexible cover 2, substantially as set foi-th.,

2. The combination of the curved bullet- 5 proof body-shield, concave on its inner side, Witnesses:

the flexible cover 2, extending in a straight GEO. I. PUTNAM, plane over the concave face of the shield, and ELIAS CHANDLER.

BEAUMONT B. BUCK. 

